Concrete float



w. s. HAIVALA CONCRETE FLOAT Filed Jan. 29, 1944 /Z/% WZZQIINVENTOR.

ATI'OHN EYS Patented Oct. 29, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,410,343 CONCRETE FLOAT William S. Haivala, Kennewick, Wash. Application January 29, 1944, Serial No. 520,308

2 Claims.

My invention relates to the processing of finishing surfaces of concrete, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved concrete float.

An object of my invention is to provide a concrete float having a working face so contoured as to penetrate the coarse aggregate below the troweling surface, thereby permitting the fine aggregate and more fluid content of the concrete to find its way to the surface to provide a better troweling condition.

My invention also provides a troweling surface which eliminates the necessity of excessive amounts of driers or topping. This eliminates such additional costs and results in a better class of work. Excessive amounts of driers frequently cause blisters and uneven floors.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my concrete float.

Figure 2 is an end View somewhat enlarged and partly in section, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view partly in section.

In the embodiment of for illustration, the float I comprises a wood body l2 reinforced about its perimeter by an angle M. The angle is in the nature of a frame extending about the four sides of the body l2, with the flange l6 of the angle overlying the top edge margins of the body l2 and the flange l8 embracing the edge margins of the body.

Bars 20 made of angle iron, extend transversely across the body l2 and the frame l4 and have their ends welded, as at 22, to the flanges iii of the frame. The frame I l reinforces the body I2. The bars 20 which are located at opposite sides of and spaced equally from the transverse center of the body l2 and frame l4, prevent the war ing of the body and frame.

A handle 28 is detachably connected with a socket 30 mounted upon the body l2 centrally between the bars 24. The socket 30 is made of sheet metal, and it is provided with flanges 32 which rest upon the body l2 and which are secured to the body by bolts 34. The socket 30 is shaped to provide side walls 36 and a top wall 38 arranged at an angle to the top face of the body I2. The handle 28 includes a tapered face 40 which contacts with the top face of the body l2 so that the handle 28 may be firmly connected with the socket by merely driving the handle therein.

Means for positively connecting the handle 28 the invention selected with the socket 30 comprises a tapered wedge 42 passable freely through slots 44 in the side walls 36 and through an opening 46 in the handle 28. This opening includes a tapered face 48 engaged by the tapered pin 42, so that the handle 2-8 will be held firmly in the socket 30 when the pin 42 is driven home, since the edge of the pin opposite the angle wall 48 lies in engage- 2 ment with the socket 30. Thus the handle 28 maybe easily disconnected from the socket for substitution of handles of different lengths.

The body I2 is provided with a plurality of equally spaced cross slots 50 within which are inserted steel blades 52. All the blades 52 project equal distances from the straight bottom face 54 of the body 12, and the blades are arranged in parallelism one with the other and with the handle 28. Welded connections 56 are provided between the blades 52 and the angles l8 extending along the two sides of the body I2. The flanges I8 extending across the ends of the body l2 are of such width as to bring their lower edges in a plane common to the bottom edges of the blades 52. All the blades 52 are slightly tapered, as at 58, which prevents stones from wedging between the blades. The two portions of the flange I8 which function as blades are also tapered slightly on their inner faces, as at 60. I

The float is of a durable construction but is relatively light in weight. The device may be easily manipulated on the concrete, and the blades 52 cause such penetration of the large aggregate as to bring a sufiicient body of the more fluid aggregate to the surface to facilitate troweling thereof. The device may be manipulated adjacent obstructions in that the end portions of the flanges l8 also function as Working blades. The several parts of the float may if desired be cast from suitable metal or metals.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will sofully explain my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. A concrete float comprising a body composed of a rectangular metal frame having an 'open lower face, a wooden block in said frame with its lower face above a plane with the lower edge of the frame, said block having transverse grooves in its lower face, 'blades arranged in said grooves with their lower edges flush with the lower edges of the frame and their ends welded to the inner vertical walls of the frame, and a handle carried by the body.

2. A concrete float comprising a body composed of a rectangular frame composed of inverted L-shaped metal bars, a wooden block within said frame with its lower face in a plane above the lower edges of the frame, said block having transverse grooves in its lower face, blades arranged in said grooves with their lower edges flush with the lower edges of the frame and their ends welded to the inner vertical walls of the L-shaped bars, and a handle socket secured to the wooden block and extending upwardly through the frame.

WILLIAM S. HAIVALA. 

